This application claims the priority of German Patent Document 100 23 585.9, filed May 13, 2000, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The invention relates to a display arrangement in a vehicle. In passenger cars, the driver normally has a view of the traffic situation behind the vehicle via an internal rear-view mirror when driving forwards. When driving rearwards, information about the rearward area can be obtained both from the view from the rear-view mirror and by looking directly backwards. Furthermore, a large number of displays are provided in vehicles, which are concentrated predominantly in the dashboard at the front. An arrangement is known from EP 0 937 601 A2, in which an optical display is provided in or on the housing of the internal rear-view mirror, or else a display apparatus is arranged in the housing interior behind the mirror surface.
For driving rearwards, which typically takes place when manoeuvring in a confined environment, in particular when parking, systems to provide assistance are also already known, in which a monitoring device for a rearward monitoring area is used to provide additional information about the situation behind the vehicle, for example the distance to obstructions, the edge of the roadway, and the curb etc. This information can be reproduced, for example, as an image, numerical or symbolic representation on a display which can be seen by the driver. For example, different distances can be represented visually by bar displays. For example, it is known for such a display apparatus to be arranged in the rear area of the vehicle ceiling in order to display information from a rearward monitoring area. The driver can read the display both in the rear-view mirror and by looking directly to the rear when driving rearwards.
In vehicles in which the view to the rear can be blocked at times, for example by a load, by a partition wall in the passenger compartment behind the driver etc., the driver can neither look through the rear window, nor can he read such a display.
The present invention is based on the object of specifying a display arrangement with increased display options.
The automatic mirror adjustment device of the display apparatus, which is at a distance from the mirror and, in particular, is arranged offset to the rear, can be seen by the driver without effort or, provided the display apparatus was previously already entirely or partially visible at the edge of the mirror field of view, moved further towards the centre of the mirror field of view. The content which can be reproduced by the display apparatus may be dependent on the nature of the variable parameter which is used as the basis for repositioning the mirror, or else on a parameter combination.
The automatic alignment, according to the invention, of the field of view of the rear-view mirror to the display apparatus is particularly advantageous in situations in which the change in the vehicle parameter is associated with a considerable adverse effect or loss of the information which the driver can see with the first mirror alignment, and/or in situations in which the driver""s view to the rear may be impeded at times.
For example, in the case of vehicles having a partition wall which can be set up behind the driver, the view to the rear is blocked when the partition wall is set up, and the mirror information in the first alignment is thus lost. One parameter for mirror repositioning may thus advantageously be the position of such a partition wall. Another parameter may be, for example, the operating mode of a rear high-intensity fog light, on the assumption that the rearward view via the rear-view mirror is less useful when this light is being operated.
The invention is particularly advantageous in vehicles which have a monitoring device for a rearward monitoring area outside the vehicle, in particular in the form of a parking aid. Information obtained via the monitoring device can then be displayed via the display apparatus.
The direction of travel selected via a direction of travel selection apparatus is preferably a parameter for the repositioning of the rear-view mirror, with the further alignment of the rear-view mirror being associated with the selection of the rearward direction of travel.
The invention is particularly advantageous in vehicles in which the driver""s view to the rear may be impeded at times.
The automatic adjustment of the rear-view mirror allows the display apparatus to be positioned such that it can be seen via the rear-view mirror even when the view to the rear is blocked and, when the view to the rear is free, the normal rear-view mirror field of view can be maintained for the driver when driving forwards. The automatic adjustment of the mirror alignment results in the high level of design freedom for the position of the display. In particular, the display apparatus can be arranged other than in the front dashboard, in which the installation space is generally very confined and the amount of information is already very high. One preferred embodiment provides for the display apparatus to be arranged on the vehicle ceiling, where it can be mounted in a stable manner with little effort and there is virtually no adverse effect on the use and configuration of the interior. Furthermore, developments and experiences with the already mentioned conventional display apparatuses can be used and improved upon.
The display apparatus is advantageously arranged in the vehicle longitudinal direction in front of the possible view obstruction such as a partition or load, in particular slightly in front of the view obstruction. The position of the display apparatus in the vehicle longitudinal direction is preferably at approximately the same level as the top of the back of the driver""s seat.
Automatic adjustment of the mirror alignment on the basis of the selected direction of travel avoids the driver having to carry out cumbersome manual mirror adjustment and also allows more precise alignment to the display apparatus, matched to the driver currently driving the vehicle. The combination with a mirror alignment which can be matched automatically on the basis of stored data to different individual drivers and which is frequently also linked to automatic driver""s seat adjustment is particularly advantageous. Mechanisms for automatic internal rear-view mirror adjustment, operated in particular by an electric motor, are also known from this application.
The derivation of the automatic mirror adjustment from a direction of travel selection apparatus, in particular a gear lever of a manual transmission or the shift lever of an automatic transmission requires particularly little effort since, when rearward travel is selected, an electrical signal is generally present in any case for switching a reversing light and can be used to operate the mirror adjustment according to the invention.
When fitted at a position which cannot be concealed by a partition or load, and when the internal rear-view mirror is aligned for driving forwards, the display apparatus is generally not visible, or at best visible at the edge, in the field of view of the rear-view mirror, which in this situation is concentrated on the rear window of the vehicle. When the rearward direction of travel is selected and the mirror alignment is repositioned accordingly, the field of view of the internal mirror faces the display apparatus, so that it is moved closer to the centre of the field of view.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.